Prof Chetty heads up English Academy of Southern Africa
EXPERT: CPUT researcher Prof Rajendra Chetty has been appointed as the President of the English Academy of Southern Africa
Monday, 10 June 2013
Renowned author and researcher, Prof Rajendra Chetty has been appointed as the President of the English Academy of Southern Africa.
The Research Coordinator for the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, Chetty is the 17th president of the academy.
Chetty, who has also been appointed at the Chairperson of the Provincial Parliament Language Committee, says it’s an honour to head up the academy, which plays a key role in promoting the effective use of English in Southern Africa.
“The Academy was founded to engage with those in power and with the general public about the role and significance of English. It has done so vigorously, with dignity and in a positive spirit,” says Chetty.
The academy has made regular submissions to government on language issues, ran seasonal schools for teachers, hosted a number of valuable conferences and lectures and published first-rate journals.
With education high on the academy’s agenda, they are now concentrating their efforts on literacy.
“The crisis of decreasing literacy levels in the public schools needs to be addressed more seriously. For this to happen, creative solutions (and massive expenditure) would have to be applied to the teaching of English, particularly in disadvantaged and rural schools,” says Chetty.
“If well managed, mastery of English in disadvantaged settings may be an invaluable tool of exchange between those living on the margins of society and those who are part of the global village.”
Written by Candes Keating
Email: keatingc@cput.ac.za
Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.
News categories
- Advancement 13
- Alumni 77
- Awards 46
- Campus Life 20
- Community Engagement 162
- Disability Unit 12
- Applied Sciences 108
- Business & Management Sciences 95
- Education 97
- Engineering & the Built Environment 142
- Health & Wellness Sciences 117
- Informatics & Design 82
- Fundani CHED 24
- Funding 17
- GBV 16
- Graduation 88
- HIV/Aids Unit 39
- Know Your CPUT 65
- Libraries 18
- News 3790
- RTIP 297
- Residences (Accommodation) 15
- Staff 660
- SIIP 37
- Students 1311
- Student Health 44
- Sport, Arts & Culture 126
- SRC 4
- Student Affairs 11
- University Leadership 19
- Varsity Shield 17
- Vice-Chancellor 22
- Work-Integrated Learning 21
- THENSA 11
